Four who are likely to have a major role in Gorbachev's fortunes

One is the son of a peasant who began his career as an agronomist and ended up as a master of the diplomatic arts. Another is a former shipyard engineer with a reputation for rudeness and arrogance. A third is a tough fighter against corruption who once reportedly fell into disfavor and was sent packing to Cuba as Ambassador. And the fourth is a former KGB chief from the Muslim south. This is the quartet of crucial players who will determine how smoothly and how quickly Mikhail Gorbachev will be able to accumulate power.